BRIDGETON — It took two hours to determine, but Thomas Smith is not suited for the general student body at Broad Street School.

“They were saying his autism is not the reason. It’s because his behavior is real bad” said mother Cathy Smith.

Thomas, who is 5 years old, has been diagnosed with autistic disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and anxiety disorder.

His conditions and surroundings have triggered physical outbursts multiple times a week.

According to discipline referral notes filled out by teachers, he has hit, spit on, pushed and shoved students and even hit a teacher.

The look on Smith’s face last weekend was free of frustration as she finally got what she spent the last eight months trying to prove.

The 5-year-old is, or rather was, a kindergarten student at Broad Street School until April 29.

Dr. S. Mark Sacher, who is based in Medford, wrote a note in September for Smith to present to the district:

“Mrs. Smith informed me today that Thomas is in a regular classroom setting.

“The patient has special needs. He requires much structure and supervision, a small classroom setting that is behaviorally oriented and staff familiar with working with children with autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.”

Thomas started the self-contained Behavioral Disabilities Program at Indian Avenue School last week.

According to the district website, the course “focuses on targeted behavior intended to enable students to achieve the educational, social emotional and behavioral goals” and “offers students the opportunity to be educated with their peers thus providing education in the least restrictive environment.”

His class of 10 has three teachers, similar to what Thomas’ preschool class was like before he placed into regular kindergarten courses. Mr. Thomas, one of the teachers, remembers her son from his preschool classes at Buckshutem Road School.

“He had a good day,” Smith said on Tuesday.

To get to this point, she attended a meeting with the district’s child study team on April 29.

The meeting, which ran for two hours, commenced at 12:45 p.m. and worked out in Smith’s favor.

Two Child Study Team members, Psychologist and case manager Tammy Whitby and social worker Danna Johnson were named by Smith as having attended the meeting.

Johnson said she could not comment on the situation. Christopher Doran, director of student support services and special education coordinator, could not be reached Friday for comment.

The school’s stance had been that Thomas was fit for regular classes despite his medical condition, according to Smith.

She went to court twice to try and change what the school had chosen, and, as recently as late March, had been told by the school’s doctor that she was not giving her son his prescribed medication.

Smith first approached The News in November with the conflict and, a half-year later, it seems to have been resolved.

Thomas will graduate kindergarten this year and move to first grade in September.The only black cloud, and it’s a long ways off, is that the Behavioral Disabilities Program ends after third grade.